Random question of the day ...

[Iseesaidjane]

Following the programme it recommends a rest day between runs. Does the next weeks runs literally fall after the rest day of the third run or do you start on the first day of your next week? (So I’ve started the programme on a Monday so does my next week start the following Monday?) Obviously if you follow the next week every 6th run you’d complete sooner however if I start my next week on the same day I started I get more than 1 rest day between runs? (Asking for a friend - I started 3 weeks ago and am on week 7 🤣🤣🤣)

[jsh2803 Graduate]

I always had a day between as rest with one gap of two days .... throughout C25k I ran Tues / Thurs / Sun .... now doing Tues / Thurs / Sat with a short activity on a Monday

[DDJ2019 Graduate]

I've done it both ways, but I try to do the every other day thing to keep some momentum up.

I've found that the extra rest day is just an albatross around my neck motivation wise and I don't need any more of those 🤣🤣🤣🤣,

[Iseesaidjane in reply to DDJ2019]

Thank you! Yes I get that although having an extra rest day that you can slot in should life take over is handy I guess?

[DDJ2019 Graduate in reply to Iseesaidjane]

Well I have missed the every other for work or whatever and then used the every other day to get back on track (sort of) but it's whatever works!

And it's also not giving up.

And proper hydration.

And. And. And. Lol

[Iseesaidjane in reply to DDJ2019]

....and gin. Got to leave room for gin (and ice for hydration) 😁

[DDJ2019 Graduate in reply to Iseesaidjane]

Lol. Personally I prefer red wine which is mostly water lol

[Jalapenolover101 Graduate]

Asking for a friend! Love it!! 😉😆

Leaving at least one day is what’s recommended but 2 or 3 days between runs is fine.

For example, if you want to complete one week in 1 week that’s fine, just don’t run on a Sunday then again Monday.

Up until now, I’ve ran every other day, but you could run mon, wed, fri and have the weekend off. Or tue, thurs, sat and have sun and mon off.

Hope that makes sense? It sounds as clear as mud now I’m reading it back🤣🙄

[Iseesaidjane in reply to Jalapenolover101]

Nope! Totally clear 😃 I’ve always started my next week on the same day and allowed at least 1 rest day between runs buying a day if I’m busy with work/life so have a couple of days between runs where needed. Thank you!

[Jalapenolover101 Graduate in reply to Iseesaidjane]

Brilliant 🎉 got there in the end 🤣

Happy running 🌶x

[Jalapenolover101 Graduate in reply to Jalapenolover101]

Just wanted to add, you could leave 2 days between every run if you want, all depends on your recovery.

Main thing is, at least 1 rest day 👍 running alternate days is fine🏃🏻‍♀️ Phew 😅 think I made sense that time 😁

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Do not run on consecutive days.

[Iseesaidjane in reply to IannodaTruffe]

No I don’t do that. Just querying if I run every other day I’m starting the next week on day 6. I’ve not done that either (start the next week after 7 days) but just wanted to check 😊

[IannodaTruffe Mentor in reply to Iseesaidjane]

As long as you don't run on consecutive days then it doesn't matter.

As it says in the guide to the plan, C25k weeks do not have to coincide with calendar weeks.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

A week here can be 6 days... the usual 7... even 8 or 9... maybe even 10. The only thing that needs to be set in stone is “rest, run, rest” so that you never run 2 consecutive days until much later (probably a year or so) in your running adventures.

“Rest” is a bit of a bad word for those non-running days though. Do something... walk, cycle, yoga, strengthening work... anything but running or nothing! So long as the chosen activity for the day doesn’t involve both feet being repetitively off the ground at the same time, it’s good.

[Iseesaidjane in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Thank you! Really helpful. I’m active anyway (May be a slight exaggeration - I don’t sit on my bum every day; I have 2 energetic dog walks a day across fields for 1.5 hours) It just occurred to me with a rest day I should be starting my next week on day 7 😊

[GoGo_JoJo Graduate]

Entirely up to you, you can complete it in 9 weeks doing 3 runs a week or a tad quicker doing every other day. Whatever works best for them and their life/ work/play schedule 👍🏻😁

[Iseesaidjane in reply to GoGo_JoJo]

Thank you 😃

[RunningMigster Graduate]

Well, before starting C25K in October last year I left 38 years between runs 🤣🤣🤣

[Iseesaidjane in reply to RunningMigster]

🙌🏻🤣🤣🤣

[sTrongFuse Graduate]

I'm not quite in Migster's league, but my longest "week" was 10 months due to injury (not running related, more middle-aged neglect).

In the strange, parallel universe called C25K that you now exist in, a week no longer has any absolute meaning; it's not a strict 7 day thing, it's purely however long it takes to successfully complete each set of 3 runs. Extra rest days never hurt and often allow you to be even more energised for your next run.

To misquote Ford Prefect, time is an illusion, run times, doubly so...

[Brian-P6 Graduate]

I always found it best (for me) to have a two day gap between 'weeks'. So I ran Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday each week. I found it really beneficial to have that extra day of rest as the programme advanced and the distances got longer the following week.

[Iseesaidjane in reply to Brian-P6]

Thank you! Good idea 😃

[Nilsam Graduate]

I used to run Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. But wiggle it round to suit work / life balance. 👍🏃‍♀️ Good question though.